Bathing apparatus



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN K. ONEIL, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK.

BATHING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,979, dated August 11, 1857.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, J. K. ONEIL, of Kingston,in the county of Ulster and State of New York, have invented a new andImproved Bathing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to theVaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure l, being a'side view of the appa- V ratus, as attached toanordinary bathing pan; the latter being represented in section; Fig. 2,a section across the middle of the annular showering pipe.

Like letters designate corresponding'parts in both figures.

My improved apparatus is designed for the purpose of administeringshower baths; that is, for applying the water to the body in numeroussmall streams, falling or projected with more or less force against theperson. The improvement has for its object, applying the water todifferent parts of the body in succession, at pleasure, and at the sametime to secure extreme simplicity, cheapness, compactness, convenienceand effectiveness.

The accompanying drawings represent the improved apparatus, applied to abathing pan A; but it may be used'in any other desired` connection; as,for instance, it may be connected with a water pipe passing through thehouse, without any additional iiXtures. If the water has no head orpressure, to give the required impinging force, a forcepump of some sortis used. Thus, in the drawings a bellows pump B, of the simplestconstruction, is shown, being attached permanently to the pan, or placedtherein to be operated by the foot of the bather. From the pipe nozzleof an air reservoir C, attached to the pump, a small flexible pipe D, ofsufficient length to reach from the bathing pan, to the top of anypersons head, extends. The upper end of this pipe is connected, in anyconvenient manner, with an annular pipe E, the construction andoperation of which are as follows z-The diameter of the ring issufficient to allow it to pass up and down readily around any person;and the diameter of the pipe, of which it is formed, should besufficient to supply the water as fast as desired. In the inner curve ofthe ring, numerous small apertures a., a, a, are made through the pipe,substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

These perforations may be as many and as large as desired. When water isforced into the ring thus constructed, it issues in many small streamsthrough said apertures directly inward toward the body, on every side;and none of the water is thrown away from the body. The person receivingthe bath, while the Water is streaming from the pipe, moves the samefrom head to foot, or holds it at any height, and as long as desired. Byemploying light standards G, with hooks b, b, I), at diiferent heights,on which the annular pipe E, may rest; or by using a cord or cords,passing from the pipe around a hook b, at the top of the standards, thesaid pipe may rest or remain suspended, at any desired height, while thehands of the bather may be usedfor washing the person. These standardsmay be inserted in sockets F, on t-he bat-hing pan, so as to beremovable at pleasure; or they can be dispensed with, if desired. Anyother equivalent device for sustaining the annular pipe at any height,may be employed, in!

stead of that above described.

Instead of an annular pipe occupying an entire circle, any equivalentform may besubstituted; and it may occupy only a part of a circle; theessential requirements in every case, being only to direct the Waterinward toward the body, and to apply the water at different heightssuccessively at pleasure.

If there should be any liability of the water spattering from the body,a cloth screen hanging down from the annular pipe, a short distance, allaround, may be added, for a fender. y

I do not claim an annular showering pipe separately, such or itsequivalent having been used before, in other connections; but- What'Iclaim as my invention, is-` The combination` of the annular pipe E, orits equivalent, with the iiexible connecting pipe D, or its equivalent,operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinspeciiied.

In witness that the above is a true speciiication of my improved bathingapparatus, I hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June, 1857.

JOHN K. ONEIL.

Witnesses:

J. S. BROWN, JOHNS. HOLLINGSHEAD.

